Sunday, November 29, 2009

Is is Our Moral Obligation to Attend Church?

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Is it Our Moral Obligation to Attend Church?
By Dr. Greg Bahnsen

For The Record

This regular feature is an attempt to provide an elementary Biblical analysis of various topics in Christian theology and practice. We anticipate that this and future contributions will be helpful in explaining fundamental theological issues to those who may be relatively unfamiliar with them.

Attending church is far from being the chosen Sunday activity for most people in our culture. This should not surprise us, of course, when those who sleep in, go to work, or find other recreations in the place of attending church are unbelievers. Unregenerate hearts do not seek God or find pleasure in worshipping Him. what is surprising (and dismaying) is that today many professing believers also neglect the corporate worship of God.

Why is this? On the one hand, some Christians see church as just one of many personal options along with Sunday brunch, the ball game, etc. On the other hand, some Christians consider informal fellowship groups or Bible studies an adequate replacement for church attendance. But all Christians must be open to the teaching of God's holy word, and it is to this standard that we turn for an answer to our original question.


Old Testament Law, Piety, and Prophets

The Mosaic law commanded God's people to gather together for corporate worship and the hearing of God's word (e.g., Deut. 12:5-12; 31:11-12). Indeed, the law of God required that the weekly Sabbath in particular be a "holy convocation" (Lev. 23:3). Regardless of outward circumstances (e.g., seventh-day Sabbath, a localized central tabernacle), the worship required in the Old Testament law entailed the basic moral element of assembling with God's people to hear His word and praise His name.

The religious piety of the Old Testament saint was evident in his desire to "Render unto Jehovah the glory due unto His name, bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship Jehovah in the beauty of Holiness" (I Chron. 16:20; cf. Ps 96:8-9). The believer is eager to worship in the midst of the assembled people of God. David the Psalmist wrote, "I will declare Thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the assembly will I praise Thee" (Ps. 22:22). "I will give Thee thanks in the great assembly; I will praise Thee among the people" (Ps. 35:18; cf. 116:12-17). Many of the psalms emphasize the fact that David worshipped along with a congregation of other believers (e.g., Ps. 42:4; 55:14; 122:1; 132:7).

David's inspired testimony shows that his desire for congregational worship is normative for all God's people, He declared to all believers; "O come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker" (Ps. 95:6), "Come before His presence with singing...Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Give thanks unto Him and bless His name (Ps. 100:2,4), "Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders" (Ps. 107:32). "Praise ye Jehovah, Sing unto Jehovah a new song and His praise in the assembly of the saints" (Ps. 149:1).

Old Testament prophecy likewise shows us that those who are true believers will desire of assemble with God's people to hear His word and praise His name in congregational worship. For instance, Isaiah the prophet indicated that converts to the Lord would join themselves to the corporate worship of God's people in "Jehovah's house of prayer" (Is. 56:6-7; quoted by Jesus in Mark 11:17).

One of the burdens of Malachi's prophecy was that the corrupt worship among the Jews of his day would, in the future age of God's advent, be replaced with pure worship among the Gentiles in every place (Mal. 1:11; 3:3-4).

Therefore, the law, piety, and prophecy of the Old Testament all combine to point us to our moral obligation to gather together with God's people for worship.

"But that was the Old Testament, with its Jerusalem temple and seventh-day Sabbath," someone might complain. This complaint diminishes the full authority of God's inspired word. Referring to the Old Testament, Paul taught "every scripture" is inspired and is profitable for...instruction in righteousness? (2 Tim. 3:160. Of course, changes from the covenantal administration and foreshadows of the Old Testament to the redemptive realities of the new Testament must be recognized (much of the book of Hebrews serves this very purpose).

Nevertheless, Jesus obliges us to submit to the continuing validity of "every jot and tittle" of the Old Testament (Matt. 5:17-19), and Paul teaches that "whatever was written previously in the Old Testament was written "for our instruction" (Rom. 15:40. In that light, we would naturally expect that the moral obligation of corporate worship which is taught in the Old Testament will continue into the New. God continues to call a people for himself in the New Testament, and God surely continues to be worthy of their praise.


The New Testament Normative Example

Regarding the Old Testament Sabbath, New Testament believers confess that Jesus Christ is "the Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28). In the New Testament age, it is thus appropriately called "the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). Scripture shows that since the Lord's resurrection, this day has been changed from the last to the first day of the week.[1]

Regarding the Old Testament temple, New Testament believers confess that they themselves now constitute "the temple of God" wherein God's Spirit dwells (1 Cor. 3:16-17; Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Pet. 2:5). The outward trappings of Old Covenant worship have changed in the days of the New Covenant. The basic moral obligation of "holy convocation" has not.

The early church of Jesus Christ regularly gathered together as "God's temple" for corporate worship, daily at first (Acts 2:46) and eventually weekly on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, I Cor. 16:2), "the Lord's day." the early church did not break with the long standing requirement, revealed previously in God's word, for believers to participate in worship assemblies - even when they saw their New Covenant practice (outwardly changed) against the background of the Old Covenant pattern.

The priestly ritual of the temple has passed away, to be sure; yet, God's New Covenant people looked at their practice of worship in the light of it. For instance, "through Him (Christ) then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to His name" (Heb. 13:15), or again "you are a spiritual house for a holy preisthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).

From various indications in the New Testament we learn what constitutes the congregational worship of the New Covenant people of God. It includes at least the following items:


1. Praise to God (Heb. 13:15; 1 Peter 2:9 [Is. 43:21]),

2. Corporate Prayer (1 Tim. 2:8; Cf. Phil. 4:6) With Congregational Amens (1 Cor. 14:16),

3. Hymns (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19),

4. Scripture Reading (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:13),

5. Preaching (1 Tim. 4:6-16; 2 Tim. 4:2; Acts 20:7-9).

6. The Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42; 20:7; Cf. 1 Cor. 11:20).


We should remember that God's word is normative for us; it is a law, even when not prefaced with a formula such as "Thou shalt do..." What we find in the New Testament practice of worship, accordingly, is the standard of worship to which we must adhere.

Worship is defined, not by personal whims and religious imagination, but solely by the revealed word of God (cf. Col. 2:23). Thus the second commandment forbids us to devise, use, or approve of any religious worship which is not instituted by God Himself - as well as prohibiting us from neglecting, or taking away from, that worship which God has ordained (Ex. 20:4-6; cf. Lev. 10:1; Deut. 4:2; 32:46; Matt. 15:9; 28:20).

Therefore, our obligation to gather with God's people for worship must be understood and measured by the elements of New Testament worship set forth above. If we are doing what God requires of His people, we engage in worship assemblies which are characterized by praise, corporate prayer, hymns, Bible reading, authoritative preaching, and the sacraments.


Worship Assemblies are Not Just Any Gathering of Believers

In the New Testament, those assemblies which constituted the corporate worship of God were understood as something clearly distinct from informal household fellowship and eating, even though the worship assembly may have been in an actual home. Paul distinguishes between "the Lord's Supper" at the assembly and the ordinary meals in one's house (1 Cor. 11:20, 22).

Being in "the church" at worship is, thus, something more than any normal gathering with other believers - even if at the gathering we engage in eating, singing, and prayer. This is evident from the way Paul speaks, for instance, in 1 Cor. 14:35. He differentiates the situation of a woman asking question at "church" from her asking them "at home."

Moreover, despite the fact that "the church" is the body of believers (i.e. the people), Paul uses the following language: "it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church." The expression "in the church" cannot mean within any gathering of believers, or else women would be prohibited from ever speaking when other Christians are present! "In the church" obviously denotes the assembly of believers for the special purpose of ordained worship.

Worship assemblies for Christians are to be characterized by good order, not confusion (1 Cor. 14:26, 33, 40). Thus New Testament congregational worship is led and governed by the overseers (elders who "take care of the Church of God," 1 Tim. 3:-45). That this is the rule for New Testament worship is illustrated by the fact that Paul wrote to deliver instructions for the life of the church, including its corporate worship services, to pastors like Timothy (e.g. 1 Tim. 2:1,8,11; 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2).

These pastoral letters had as one of their purposes that men "may know how they ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God" (1 Tim. 3:15). In short, the assembling of God's flock is under the oversight of the shepherds (1 Peter 5:-12) who "preside" over it in all matters, including worship (1 Thess. 5:12-13; Acts 20:28).

Assembling For, and Participating in, Worship is Explicitly Required

The new Testament normative pattern, then, is for God's people to gather together on the Lord's day as "the church" for the specific purpose of worship as defined by God's word (praise, corporate prayer, hymns, Scripture reading, authoritative preaching, and the Lord's Supper) under the oversight of the elders.

It is nothing less than the moral obligation of believers to attend these worship assemblies and not have other interests or activities take priority over them - precisely because assembling for worship is a matter of obedience to God's word, rather than personal discretion.

The New Testament, no less than the Old, requires us to assemble for the purpose of worship. This was the apostolic pattern, as we see in these words: "If therefore the whole church be assembled together..., so he will fall down and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed" (1 Cor. 14:23-25).

The New Testament explicitly commands that we not voluntarily absent ourselves from the church's recognized gathering for ordained worship. "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another" (Heb. 10:24-25).

When we miss attending the church's worship service or do not participate in its activities, we are not living up to the Scriptural command for us to stand together in worship: "that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 15:6; cf. Eph. 5:19-21). It is expected that believers will regularly partake of the Lord's Supper (Jn. 6:53; 1 Cor. 10:17; 11:24-26), and when it is served, the New Testament exhorts believers to (examine themselves and thereby) actually participate in the eating and drinking (1 Cor. 11:27,28).

We conclude by seeing, therefore, that congregational worship is not a matter of entertainment and personal discretion (e.g. "shall we go to church or brunch this morning?"). Nor is it an informal get-together with other Christian friends where religious activities take place (e.g., "we met at their house, sang together and prayed"). God's holy and authoritative word says more.

Scripture makes it our moral obligation not to forsake the assembling of God's flock "as the church" for the specific purpose of corporate worship, as defined by the Lord, under the leading of the shepherds. If we profess to obey Him in all things, let us not be lax or self-willed especially at this important point! It is the highest privilege of the Christian to stand with fellow believers as God's redeemed people, in His presence, to render to Him the praise, adoration and worship which are due to His name. It is preparation for eternity.


[1] The Old Testament festivals of firstfruits and pentecost (looking forward to Christ's resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit) were celebrated on the first day of the week (Lev.23:11, 16, 35, 39). Likewise, the new creation began on the first day of the week, having been brought about by Christ's resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-28; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:13-19).

2.That is, a time of instruction based upon God's revealed word. This entails a number of things, including:

(1) "exhortation" (PARAKLASIS; Rom. 12:8; 1 Tim. 4:13; 1 Thess. 2:3; cf. Acts 13:15; 1 Cor. 14:3; Heb. 13:22), which involves beseeching men in earnest (e.g., Rom. 12:1; 2 Cor. 5:20);

(2) "teaching" (didasko; Acts 18:11; 1 Tim. 4:13; 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:2; cf. 1 Cor. 14:9), which includes authoritatively laying down the truth (1 Tim. 4:6) and delivering commands (1 Tim. 4:11); and

(3) "proclamation" (karusso) - a word which was used to cover a wide variety of discourses; the preaching of the prophets to God's people (Joel 2:1 LXX), synagogue lessons among the Jews (Acts 15:21; Rom. 2:21; cf. Lk. 4:19, 21; Mk. 1:39; Acts 9:20), evangelistic heralding to unbelievers (Matt. 4:17; 20:7, 27; Lk. 24:47; Acts 8:5; 1 Cor. 1:23), and the declarations of the full theological system to believers (Acts 20:20, 25, 27), proclamations within the Christian assembly (2 Cor. 11:4), words entailing comfort and exhortation among converts (1 Thess. 2:9-14) or against heresy in the congregation (1 Cor. 15:11ff.), and pastoral addresses to professing believers who are tempted to turn away from sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:2-4).

The recent, novel opinion that authoritative preaching of a sermon (exhortation or lesson monologue) is inappropriate within a Christian assembly of believers has no linguistic or theological basis in Scripture, as we see above. Note the example of Paul in Acts 20:7-9. We read that he "discoursed"; according to Kettle, the Greek word refers here to "the delivering of religious lectures." Further, we read that Paul continued his "speech" past midnight; the Greek word (LOGOS) does not (especially unqualified, in the singular, and with definite article) mean dialogue or joint discussion, but an individual's oral presentation, message, or statement (cf. Mk. 2:2; Matt. 15:12; Lk. 1:39; Jn. 4:41; Acts 10:44; 15:32).

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The Holidays Are Coming...

A lot of traveling occurs around this time of year and as folks travel across town or across the Nation to be with loved ones and "Home for the Holidays." If you or some one you know is traveling over the Lord's Day and you don't know of a good Church in the area this may be a good resource for you, your family, or friends.


Puts together a list of Churches who sign a Statement of faith of like minded beliefs and seeks to provide a network of Churches for those who may be traveling or moving to a new area. You can search by State for a Church or Family. They also provide various info on each Church, form of Government, Worship, Statements of Faith, Number of Families, etc. It is a useful resource that may prove helpful to you.

If you would like to see the listing for Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church please click here.

For a complete list of RPCUS Churches please look to the right side of this Blog for Phone Numbers, Email Addresses, Mailing and Physical Addresses, and other info.

Blessings!
The Holidays Are Coming...SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Psalm 2

Psalm 2SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Birth Control: The Pill

A Condensation of Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? by Randy Alcorn

"The Pill" is the popular term for more than forty different commercially available oral contraceptives. In medicine, they are commonly referred to as BCPs (birth control pills) or OCs (oral contraceptives). They are also called "Combination Pills," because they contain a combination of estrogen and progestin.

The Pill is used by about fourteen million American women each year. Across the globe it is used by about sixty million. The question of whether it causes abortions has direct bearing on untold millions of Christians, many of them prolife, who use and recommend it.

In 1991, while researching the original edition of my book, ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, I heard someone suggest that birth control pills can cause abortions. This was brand new to me; in all my years as a pastor and a prolifer, I had never heard it before. I was immediately skeptical.

My vested interests were strong in that Nanci and I used the Pill in the early years of our marriage, as did many of our prolife friends. Why not? We believed it simply prevented conception. We never suspected it had any potential for abortion. No one told us this was even a possibility. I confess I never read the fine print of the Pill's package insert, nor am I sure I would have understood it even if I had.

In fourteen years as a pastor I did considerable premarital counseling, I always warned couples against the IUD because I'd read it could cause early abortions. I typically recommended young couples use the Pill because of its relative ease and effectiveness.

At the time I was researching ProLife Answers, I found only one person who could point me toward any documentation that connected the Pill and abortion. She told me of just one primary source that supported this belief and I found only one other. Still, these two sources were sufficient to compel me to include this warning in the book:

Some forms of contraception, specifically the intrauterine device (IUD), Norplant, and certain low-dose oral contraceptives, often do not prevent conception but prevent implantation of an already fertilized ovum. The result is an early abortion, the killing of an already conceived individual. Tragically, many women are not told this by their physicians, and therefore do not make an informed choice about which contraceptive to use."[1]


As it turns out, I made a critical error. At the time, I incorrectly believed that "low-dose" birth control pills were the exception, not the rule. I thought most people who took the Pill were in no danger of having abortions. What I've found in more recent research is that since 1988 virtually all oral contraceptives used in America are low-dose, that is, they contain much lower levels of estrogen than the earlier birth control pills.

The standard amount of estrogen in the birth control pills of the 1960s and early '70s was 150 micrograms.

After the Pill had been on the market fifteen years, many serious negative side effects of estrogen had been clearly proven. These included blurred vision, nausea, cramping, irregular menstrual bleeding, headaches, increased incidence of breast cancer, strokes, and heart attacks, some of which led to fatalities.[2]

In response to these concerns, beginning in the mid-seventies, manufacturers of the Pill steadily decreased the content of estrogen and progestin in their products. The average dosage of estrogen in the Pill declined from 150 micrograms in 1960 to 35 micrograms in 1988. These facts are directly stated in an advertisement by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals and Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation in Hippocrates magazine.[3]

Pharmacists for Life confirms: "As of October 1988, the newer lower dosage birth control pills are the only type available in the U.S., by mutual agreement of the Food and Drug Administration and the three major Pill manufacturers."[4]

What is now considered a "high dose" of estrogen is 50 micrograms, which is in fact a very low dose in comparison to the 150 micrograms once standard for the Pill. The "low-dose" pills of today are mostly 20-35 micrograms. As far as I can tell, there are no birth control pills available today that have more than 50 micrograms of estrogen. An M.D. wrote to inform me that she had researched many pills by name and could confirm my findings. If such pills exist at all, they are certainly rare.

Not only was I wrong in thinking low-dose contraceptives were the exception rather than the rule, I didn't realize there was considerable documented medical information linking birth control pills and abortion. The evidence was there, I just didn't probe deeply enough to find it. Still more evidence has surfaced in subsequent years. I have presented this evidence in detail in my 115-page book Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? I will now summarize that research.

The Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)

The Physician's Desk Reference is the most frequently used reference book by physicians in America. The PDR, as it's often called, lists and explains the effects, benefits, and risks of every medical product that can be legally prescribed. The Food and Drug Administration requires that each manufacturer provide accurate information on its products, based on scientific research and laboratory tests.

As you read the following, keep in mind that the term "implantation," by definition, always involves an already conceived human being. Therefore, any agent which serves to prevent implantation functions as an abortifacient.

This is the PDR's product information for Ortho-Cept, as listed by Ortho, one of the largest manufacturers of the Pill:

Combination oral contraceptives act by suppression of gonadotropins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus, which increase the difficulty of sperm entry into the uterus, and changes in the endometrium which reduce the likelihood of implantation.[5]


The FDA-required research information on the birth control pills Ortho-Cyclen and Ortho Tri-Cyclen also state that they cause "changes in...the endometrium (which reduce the likelihood of implantation)."[6]

Notice that these changes in the endometrium, and their reduction in the likelihood of implantation, are not stated by the manufacturer as speculative or theoretical effects, but as actual ones. They consider this such a well-established fact that it requires no statement of qualification.

Similarly, as I document in my book, Syntex and Wyeth, the other two major pill-manufacturers, say essentially the same thing about their oral contraceptives.

The inserts packaged with birth control pills are condensed versions of longer research papers detailing the Pill's effects, mechanisms, and risks. Near the end, the insert typically says something like the following, which is taken directly from the Desogen pill insert:

If you want more information about birth control pills, ask your doctor, clinic or pharmacist. They have a more technical leaflet called the Professional Labeling, which you may wish to read. The Professional Labeling is also published in a book entitled Physician's Desk Reference, available in many bookstores and public libraries.


Of the half dozen birth control pill package inserts I've read, only one included the information about the Pill's abortive mechanism. This was a package insert dated July 12, 1994, found in the oral contraceptive Demulen, manufactured by Searle. Yet this abortive mechanism was referred to in all cases in the FDA-required manufacturer's Professional Labeling, as documented in The Physician's Desk Reference.

In summary, according to multiple references throughout The Physician's Desk Reference, which articulate the research findings of all the birth control pill manufacturers, there are not one but three mechanisms of birth control pills:

1. inhibiting ovulation (the primary mechanism),

2. thickening the cervical mucus, thereby making it more difficult for sperm to travel to the egg, and

3. thinning and shriveling the lining of the uterus to the point that it is unable or less able to facilitate the implantation of the newly fertilized egg.

The first two mechanisms are contraceptive. The third is abortive.


When a woman taking the Pill discovers she is pregnant (according to The Physician's Desk Reference's efficacy rate tables, this is 3 percent of pill-takers each year), it means that all three of these mechanisms have failed. The third mechanism sometimes fails in its role as backup, just as the first and second mechanisms sometimes fail. Each and every time the third mechanism succeeds, however, it causes an abortion.

Medical Journals and Textbooks

In an article in the research journal Contraception, Drs. Chowdhury, Joshi and associates state, "The data suggests that though missing of the low-dose combination pills may result in 'escape' ovulation in some women, however, the pharmacological effects of pills on the endometrium and cervical mucus may continue to provide them contraceptive protection."[7]

Note in some citations "contraceptive" is used to refer to an agent which in fact prevents the implantation of an already conceived child. Those who believe each human life begins at conception would see this function not as a contraceptive, but an abortifacient.

Reproductive endocrinologists have demonstrated that Pill-induced changes cause the endometrium to appear "hostile" or "poorly receptive" to implantation.[8] Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) reveals that the endometrial lining of Pill users is consistently thinner than that of nonusers[9]—up to 58 percent thinner.[10] Recent and fairly sophisticated ultrasound studies[11] have all concluded that endometrial thickness is related to the "functional receptivity" of the endometrium. Others have shown that when the lining of the uterus becomes too thin, implantation of the pre-born child (called the blastocyst or pre-embryo at this stage) does not occur.[12]

The minimal endometrial thickness required to maintain a pregnancy ranges from 5 to 13mm,[13] whereas the average endometrial thickness in women on the Pill is only 1.1 mm.[14] These data lend credence to the FDA-approved statement that "changes in the endometrium reduce the likelihood of implantation"[15]

Dr. Kristine Severyn says:

The third effect of combined oral contraceptives is to alter the endometrium in such a way that implantation of the fertilized egg (new life) is made more difficult, if not impossible. In effect, the endometrium becomes atrophic and unable to support implantation of the fertilized egg.... The alteration of the endometrium, making it hostile to implantation by the fertilized egg, provides a backup abortifacient method to prevent pregnancy.[16]


Researchers have repeatedly and consistently pointed out this abortifacient effect of the Pill. To date, no published studies have refuted these findings.

Dr. Walter Larimore is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine who has written over 150 medical articles in a wide variety of journals. In two major medical journal articles, he has addressed the issue of the Pill's capacity to cause early abortions.[17] In 2000 Dr. Larimore and I coauthored a chapter on this subject in The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality, Reproductive Technologies and the Family.[18] In the same chapter, four Christian physicians present their belief that the Pill does not result in early abortions. We respectfully suggest that their case is not based solidly on the medical evidence. (In February 2001 Dr. Larimore was brought on the staff of Focus on the Family, as a broadcaster and "an ambassador to the public on medical ethics, procedures and practices.")

What Does This Mean?

As a woman's menstrual cycle progresses, her endometrium gradually gets richer and thicker in preparation for the arrival and implantation of any newly conceived child. In a natural cycle, unimpeded by the Pill, the endometrium experiences an increase of blood vessels, which allow a greater blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients to the child. There is also an increase in the endometrium's stores of glycogen, a sugar that serves as a food source for the blastocyst (child) as soon as he or she implants.

The Pill keeps the woman's body from creating the most hospitable environment for a child, resulting instead in an endometrium that is deficient in both food (glycogen) and oxygen. The child may die because he lacks this nutrition and oxygen.

Typically, the new person attempts to implant at six days after conception. If implantation is unsuccessful, the child is flushed out of the womb in a miscarriage. When the miscarriage is the result of an environment created by a foreign device or chemical, it is in fact an abortion. This is true even if the mother does not intend it, and is not aware of it happening.

Despite all the research, including much more presented in my full booklet, there are those who insist that these contentions are incorrect and should not be taken at face value by those concerned about early abortions. In the case of the Pill manufacturers, those who say their FDA-approved assertions are false should, in my opinion, prevail upon the FDA to change their statements, and not simply ask people to disregard them.

Confirming Evidence

When the Pill thins the endometrium, it seems self-evident a zygote attempting to implant has a smaller likelihood of survival. A woman taking the Pill puts any conceived child at greater risk of being aborted than if the Pill were not being taken.

Some argue that this evidence is indirect and theoretical. But we must ask, if this is a theory, how strong and credible is the theory? If the evidence is only indirect, how compelling is that indirect evidence? Once it was only a theory that plant life grows better in rich, fertile soil than in thin, eroded soil. But it was certainly a theory good farmers believed and acted on.

Some physicians have theorized that when ovulation occurs in Pill-takers, the subsequent hormone production "turns on" the endometrium, causing it to become receptive to implantation.[19] However, there is no direct evidence to support this theory, and there is at least some evidence against it. First, after a woman stops taking the Pill, it usually takes several cycles for her menstrual flow to increase to the volume of women who are not on the Pill. This suggests to most objective researchers that the endometrium is slow to recover from its Pill-induced thinning.[20] Second, the one study that has looked at women who have ovulated on the Pill showed that after ovulation the endometrium is not receptive to implantation.[21]

Arguments Against the Pill Causing Abortion

I have received a number of letters from readers, one of them a physician, who say something like this: "My sister got pregnant while taking the Pill. This is proof that you are wrong in saying that the Pill causes abortions—obviously it couldn't have, since she had her baby!"

Without a doubt, the Pill's effects on the endometrium do not always make implantation impossible. I have never heard anyone claim that they do. To be an abortifacient does not require that something always cause an abortion, only that it sometimes does.

Whether it's RU-486, Norplant, Depo-Provera, the morning after pill, the Mini-pill, or the Pill, there is no chemical that always causes an abortion. There are only those that do so never, sometimes, often, and usually.

Children who play on the freeway, climb on the roof, or are left alone by swimming pools don't always die, but this does not prove these practices are safe and never result in fatalities. We would immediately see this inconsistency of anyone who argued in favor of leaving children alone by swimming pools because they know of cases where this has been done without harm to the children. The point that the Pill doesn't always prevent implantation is certainly true, but has no bearing on the question of whether it sometimes prevents implantation, which the data clearly suggests.

People also often argue, "The blastocyst is perfectly capable of implanting in various 'hostile' sites, e.g., the fallopian tube, the ovary, the peritoneum."

Their point is that the child sometimes implants in the wrong place. This is undeniably true. But again, the only relevant question is whether the Pill sometimes hinders the child's ability to implant in the right place.

Imagine a farmer who has two places where he might plant seed. One is rich, brown soil that has been tilled, fertilized, and watered. The other is on hard, thin, dry, and rocky soil. If the farmer wants as much seed as possible to take hold and grow, where will he plant the seed? The answer is obvious--on the fertile ground.

Now, you could say to the farmer that his preference for the rich, tilled, moist soil is based on theoretical assumptions because he has probably never seen a scientific study that proves this soil is more hospitable to seed than the thin, hard, dry soil. Likely, such a study has never been done. In other words, there is no absolute proof.

But the farmer would likely reply, based on years of observation, "I know good soil when I see it. Sure, I've seen some plants grow in the hard, thin soil too, but the chances of survival are much less there than in the good soil. Call it theoretical if you want to, but we all know it's true!"

Some newly conceived children manage to survive temporarily in hostile places. But this in no way changes the obvious fact that many more children will survive in a richer, thicker, more hospitable endometrium than in a thinner, more inhospitable one.

(In other publications and in a much more detailed fashion, we have discussed these and other lines of evidence, with hundreds of citations of many scientific studies, as well as researchers and experts in numerous fields. We encourage interested readers to look more deeply into these studies and arguments.[22])

Despite this evidence, some prolife physicians state that the likelihood of the Pill having an abortifacient effect is "infinitesimally low, or nonexistent."[23] Though I would very much like to believe this, the scientific evidence does not permit me to do so.

Dr. Walt Larimore has told me that whenever he has presented this evidence to audiences of secular physicians, there has been little or no resistance to it. But when he has presented it to Christian physicians there has been substantial resistance. Since secular physicians do not care whether the Pill prevents implantation, they tend to be objective in interpreting the evidence. After all, they have little or nothing at stake either way. Christian physicians, however, very much do not want to believe the Pill causes early abortions. Therefore, I believe, they tend to resist the evidence. This is certainly understandable. Nonetheless, we should not permit what we want to believe to distract us from what the evidence indicates we should believe.

I have mentioned my own vested interests in the Pill that at first made me resist the evidence suggesting it could cause abortions. Dr. Larimore came to this issue with even greater vested interests in believing the best about the birth control pill, having prescribed it for years. When he researched it intensively over an eighteen-month period, in what he described to me as a "gut wrenching" process that involved sleepless nights, he came to the conclusion that in good conscience he could no longer prescribe hormonal contraceptives, including the Pill, the Minipill, Depo-Provera, and Norplant.

Conclusion

The Pill is used by about fourteen million American women each year and sixty million women internationally. Thus, even an infinitesimally low portion (say one-hundredth of one percent) of 780 million Pill cycles per year globally could represent tens of thousands of unborn children lost to this form of chemical abortion annually. How many young lives have to be jeopardized for prolife believers to question the ethics of using the Pill? This is an issue with profound moral implications for those believing we are called to protect the lives of children.

This article is a very abridged version of one that appears in Appendix E of Randy Alcorn's book, ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments(Multnomah Publishers, 2000) and has been reprinted with permission. While the basic argument is stated here, much of the documented evidence has been left out due to space constrictions. An even more thorough treatment (with 139 footnotes) of this subject can be found in Randy Alcorn's 197 page book, Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?(Eternal Perspective Ministries, 8th Edition, 2007). For more information, see http://www.epm.org/ or contact EPM at info@epm.org or 503-668-5200.

[1]Randy Alcorn, Prolife Answers to ProChoice Arguments (Multnomah Publishers: Sisters, OR: 1992, 1994) 118.

[2] Nine Van der Vange, "Ovarian Activity During Low Dose Oral Contraceptives," published in Contemporary Obstetrics and Gynecology, edited by G. Chamberlain (London: Butterworths, 1988), 315-16.

[3] Hippocrates, May/June 1988, 35.

[4] Oral Contraceptives and IUDs: Birth Control or Abortifacients?, Pharmacists for Life, November 1989, 1.

[5] Physicians' Desk Reference (Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics, 1998).

[6] The PDR, 1995, page 1782.

[7] "Escape Ovulation In Women Due To The Missing Of Low Dose Combination Oral Contraceptive Pills," Contraception, September 1980; 241.

[8]. Abdalla HI, Brooks AA, Johnson MR, Kirkland A, Thomas A, Studd JW. "Endometrial Thickness: A Predictor Of Implantation In Ovum Recipients?" Human Reprod 1994;9:363-365.

738 Bartoli JM, Moulin G, Delannoy L, Chagnaud C, Kasbarian M. "The Normal Uterus On Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Variations Associated With The Hormonal State." Surg Radiol Anat 1991;13:213-20; Demas BE, Hricak H, Jaffe RB. "Uterine MR Imaging: Effects Of Hormonal Stimulation." Radiology 1986;159:123-6; McCarthy S, Tauber C, Gore J. "Female Pelvic Anatomy: MR Assessment Of Variations During The Menstrual Cycle And With Use Of Oral Contraceptives." Radiology 1986; 160: 119-23.

[10]. Brown HK, Stoll BS, Nicosia SV, Fiorica JV, Hambley PS, Clarke LP, Silbiger ML. "Uterine Junctional Zone: Correlation Between Histologic Findings And MR Imaging." Radiology 1991;179:409-413.

[11]. Abdalla, et al., "Endometrial thickness"; Dickey RP, Olar TT, Taylor SN, Curole DN, Matulich EM. "Relationship Of Endometrial Thickness And Pattern To Fecundity In Ovulation Induction Cycles: Effect Of Clomiphene Citrate Alone And With Human Menopausal Gonadotropin." Fertil Steril 1993;59:756-60; Gonen Y, Casper RF, Jacobson W, Blankier J. "Endometrial Thickness And Growth During Ovarian Stimulation: A Possible Predictor Of Implantation In In-Vitro Fertilization." Fertil Steril 1989;52:446-50; Schwartz LB, Chiu AS, Courtney M, Krey L, Schmidt-Sarosi C. "The Embryo Versus Endometrium Controversy Revisited As It Relates To Predicting Pregnancy Outcome In In-Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer Cycles." Hum Reprod 1997;12:45-50; Shoham Z, et al. "Is It Possible To Run A Successful Ovulation Induction Program Based Solely On Ultrasound Monitoring: The Importance Of Endometrial Measurements." Fertil Steril 1991;56:836-841; Noyes N, Liu HC, Sultan K, Schattman G, Rosenwaks Z. "Endometrial Thickness Appears To Be A Significant Factor In Embryo Implantation In In-Vitro Fertilization." Hum Reprod 1995;10:919-22; Vera JA, Arguello B, Crisosto CA. "Predictive Value Of Endometrial Pattern And Thickness In The Result Of In Vitro Fertilization And Embryo Transfer." Rev Chil Obstet Gynecol 1995;60:195-8; Check JH, Nowroozi K, Choe J, Lurie D, Dietterich C. "The Effect Of Endometrial Thickness And Echo Pattern On In Vitro Fertilization Outcome In Donor Oocyte-Embryo Transfer Cycle." Fertil Steril 1993;59:72-5; Oliveira JB, Baruffi RL, Mauri AL, Petersen CG, Borges MC, Franco JG Jr. "Endometrial Ultrasonography As A Predictor Of Pregnancy In An In-Vitro Fertilization Programme After Ovarian Stimulation And Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone And Gonadotrophins." Hum Reprod 1997;12:2515-8; Bergh C, Hillensjo T, Nilsson L. "Sonographic Evaluation Of The Endometrium In In-Vitro Fertilization IVF Cycles. A Way To Predict Pregnancy?" Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1992;71:624-8.

[12]. Abdalla HI, et al., "Endometrial thickness"; Dickey, et al., "Relationship Of Endometrial Thickness"; Gonen, et al., "Endometrial Thickness And Growth"; Oliveira, et al., "Endometrial Ultrasonography As A Predictor"; Bergh, et al., "Sonographic Evaluation Of The Endometrium".

[13].The 5mm figure is from Glissant, A, de Mouzon, J, Frydman R. "Ultrasound Study Of The Endometrium During In Vitro Fertilization Cycles." Fertil Steril 1985;44:786-90. The 13mm figure is from Rabinowitz R, Laufer N, Lewin A, Navot D, Bar I, Margalioth EJ, Schenker JJ. "The value of ultrasonographic endometrial measurement in the prediction of pregnancy following in vitro fertilization." Fertil Steril 1986;45:824-8

[14].McCarthy, et al., "Female Pelvic Anatomy".

[15].Physicians' Desk Reference; Kastrup, Drug Facts.

[16] Kristine Severyn, "Abortifacient Drugs and Devices: Medical and Moral Dilemmas" Linacre Quarterly, August 1990, 55.

[17].Walter L. Larimore and Joseph Stanford, "Postfertilization Effects of Oral Contraceptives and their Relation to Informed Consent." Archives of Family Medicine 9 (February, 2000); Walter L. Larimore, "The Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill and the Principle of Double Effect," Ethics and Medicine, January 2000.

[18] Walter L. Larimore and Randy Alcorn, "Using the Birth Control Pill is Ethically Unacceptable," in John F. Kilner, Paige C. Cunningham and W. David Hager (eds), The Reproduction Revolution (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 179-191.

[19] Susan Crockett, Joseph L. DeCook, Donna Harrison, and Camilla Hersh, "Using Hormone Contraceptives Is a Decision Involving Science, Scripture, and Conscience," in John F. Kilner, Paige C. Cunningham and W. David Hager (eds), The Reproduction Revolution (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 192-201.

[20].Stanford JB, Daly KD. "Menstrual And Mucus Cycle Characteristics In Women Discontinuing Oral Contraceptives (Abstract)." Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1995;9(4): A9.

[21].Chowdhury V, Joshi UM, Gopalkrishna K, Betrabet S, Mehta S, Saxena BN. "'Escape' Ovulation In Women Due To The Missing Of Low Dose Combination Oral Contraceptive Pills." Contraception 1980;22(3):241-7.

[22]. Alcorn, "Does The Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?"; Larimore WL, Stanford JB. "Postfertilization Effects Of Oral Contraceptives And Their Relation To Informed Consent." Larimore WL. "The Growing Debate about the Abortifacient Effect of the Birth Control Pill and the Principle of the Double Effect." Ethics and Medicine: in review.

[23]. DeCook JL, McIlhaney J, et al. Hormonal Contraceptives: Are they Abortifacients? (Sparta, MI: Frontlines Publishing, 1998).


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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 39085 Pioneer Blvd., Suite 206, Sandy, OR 97055, 503-668-5200, www.epm.org, www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/randyalcorn, www.twitter.com/randyalcorn
Birth Control: The PillSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Psalm 1

Psalm 1SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

The Duty of Charity

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The Way is Narrow...

The Gospel Old and New

Have you heard the New Gospel? It’s not been codified. It’s not owned by any one person or movement. But it is increasingly common.

The New Gospel generally has four parts to it.

It usually starts with an apology: “I’m sorry for my fellow Christians. I understand why you hate Christianity. It’s like that thing Ghandi said, ‘why can’t the Christians be more like their Christ?’ Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, and self-righteous. I know we screwed up with the Crusades, slavery, and the Witch Trials. All I can say is: I apologize. We’ve not give you a reason to believe.”

Then there is an appeal to God as love: “I know you’ve seen the preachers with the sandwich boards and bullhorns saying ‘Repent or Die.’ But I’m here to tell you God is love. Look at Jesus. He hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors. He loved unconditionally. There is so much brokenness in the world, but the good news of the Bible is that God came to live right in the middle of our brokenness. He’s a messy God and his mission is love. ‘I did not come into the world to condemn the world,’ that’s what Jesus said (John 3:17). He loved everyone, no matter who you were or what you had done. That’s what got him killed.”

The third part of the New Gospel is an invitation to join God on his mission in the world: “It’s a shame that Christians haven’t shown the world this God. But that’s what we are called to do. God’s kingdom is being established on earth. On earth! Not in some distant heaven after we die, but right here, right now. Even though we all mess up, we are God’s agents to show his love and bring this kingdom. And we don’t do that by scaring people with religious language or by forcing them into some religious mold. We do it by love. That’s the way of Jesus. That’s what it means to follow him. We love our neighbor and work for peace and justice. God wants us to become the good news for a troubled planet.”

And finally, there is a studied ambivalence about eternity: “Don’t get me wrong, I still believe in life after death. But our focus should be on what kind of life we can live right now. Will some people go to hell when they die? Who am I to say? Does God really require the right prayer or the right statement of faith to get into heaven? I don’t know, but I guess I can leave that in his hands. My job is not to judge people, but to bless. In the end, God’s amazing grace may surprise us all. That’s certainly what I hope for.”

Why So Hot?
This way of telling the good news of Christianity is very chic. It’s popular for several reasons.

1. It is partially true. God is love. The kingdom has come. Christians can be stupid. The particulars of the New Gospel are often justifiable.

2. It deals with strawmen. The bad guys are apocalyptic street preachers, Crusaders, and caricatures of an evangelical view of salvation.

3. The New Gospel leads people to believe wrong things without explicitly stating those wrong things. That is, Christians who espouse the New Gospel feel safe from criticism because they never actually said belief is unimportant, or there is no hell, or that Jesus isn’t the only way, or that God has no wrath, or that there is no need for repentance. These distortions are not explicitly stated, but the New Gospel is presented in such a way that non-believers could, and by design should, come to these conclusions. In other words, the New Gospel allows the non-Christian to hear what he wants, while still providing an out against criticism from other Christians. The preacher of the New Gospel can always say when challenged, “But I never said I don’t believe those things.”

4. It is manageable. The New Gospel meets people where they are and leaves them there. It appeals to love and helping our neighbors. And it makes the appeal in a way that repudiates any hint of judgmentalism, intolerance, or religiosity. This is bound to be popular. It tells us what we want to hear and gives us something we can do.

5. The New Gospel is inspirational. This is what makes the message so appealing to young people in particular. They get the thrill and purpose of being part of a big cause, without all the baggage of the Church’s history, doctrine, and hard edges. Who wouldn’t want to join a revolution of love?

6. The New Gospel has no offense to it. This is why the message is so attractive. The bad guys are all “out there.” This can be a problem for any of us. We are all prone to soft-pedaling the gospel, only presenting the attractive parts and failing to mention where Christ does not just comfort but also confronts. And it must confront more than the sins of others. It is far too easy to use the New Gospel as a way to differentiate yourself from all the bad Christians. This makes you look good and confirms to the non-Christians that the obstacle to their commitment lies with the hypocrisy and failure of others. There is no talk of repentance or judgment. There is no hint that Jesus was killed, not so much for his inclusive love as his outrageous Godlike claims (Matt. 26:63-66; 27:39-43). The New Gospel only talks of salvation in strictly cosmic terms. In fact, the door is left wide open to imagine that hell, if it even exists, is probably not a big threat for most people.

Why So Wrong?
It shouldn’t be hard to see what is missing in the new gospel. What’s missing is the old gospel, the one preached by the Apostles, the one defined in 1 Corinthians 15, the one summarized later in The Apostles’ Creed.

“But what you call the New Gospel is not a substitute for the old gospel. We still believe all that stuff.”

Ok, but why don’t you say it? And not just privately to your friends or on a statement of faith somewhere, but in public? You don’t have to be meaner, but you do have to be clearer. You don’t have to unload the whole truck of systematic theology on someone, but to leave the impression that hell is no big deal is so un-Jesus like (Matt. 10:26-33). And when you don’t talk about the need for faith and repentance you are very un-apostolic (Acts 2:38; 16:31).

“But we are just building bridges. We are relating to the culture first, speaking in a language they can understand, presenting the parts of the gospel that make the most sense to them. Once we have their trust and attention, then we can disciple and teach them about sin, repentance, faith and all the rest. This is only pre-evangelism.”

Yes, it’s true, we don’t have to start our conversations where we want to end up. But does the New Gospel really prime the pump for evangelism or just mislead the non-Christian into a false assurance? It’s one thing to open a door for further conversation. It’s another to make Christianity so palatable that it sounds like something the non-Christian already does. And this is assuming the best about the New Gospel, that underneath there really is a desire to get the old gospel out.

Paul’s approach with non-Christians in Athens is instructive for us (Acts 17:16-34). First, Paul is provoked that the city is so full of idols (16). His preaching is not guided by his disappointment with other Christians, but by his anger over unbelief. Next, he gets permission to speak (19-20). Paul did not berate people. He spoke to those who were willing to listen. But then look at what he does. He makes some cultural connection (22-23, 28), but from there he shows the contrast between the Athenian understanding of God and the way God really is (24-29). His message is not about a way of life, but about worshiping the true God in the right way. After that, he urges repentance (30), warns of judgment (31), and talks about Jesus’ resurrection (31).

The result is that some mocked (32). Who in the world mocks the New Gospel? There is nothing not to like. There is no scandal in a message about lame Christians, a loving God, changing the world, and how most of us are most likely not going to hell. This message will never be mocked, but Paul’s Mars Hill sermon was. And keep in mind, this teaching in Athens was only an entre into the Christian message. This was just the beginning, after which some wanted to hear him again (32). Paul said more in his opening salvo than some Christians ever dare to say. We may not be able to say everything Paul said at Athens all at once, but we certainly must not give the impression in our “pre-evangelism” that repentance, judgment, the necessity of faith, the importance of right belief, the centrality of the cross and the resurrection, the sinfulness of sin and the fallenness of man–the stuff that some suggest will be our actual evangelism–are outdated relics of a mean-spirited, hurtful Christianity.

A Final Plea
Please, please, please, if you are enamored with the New Gospel or anything like it, consider if you are really being fair with your fellow Christians in always throwing them under the bus. Consider if you are preaching like Jesus did, who called people, not first of all to a way of life, but to repent and believe (Mark 1:15). And as me and my friends consider if we lack the necessary patience and humility to speak tenderly with non-Christians, consider if your God is a lopsided cartoon God who never takes offense at sin (because sin is more than just un-neighborliness) and never pours out wrath (except for the occasional judgment against the judgmental). Consider if you are giving due attention to the cross and the Lamb of God who died there to take away the sin of the world. Consider if your explanation of the Christian message sounds anything like what we hear from the Apostles in the book of Acts when they engage the world.

This is no small issue. And it is not just a matter of emphasis. The New Gospel will not sustain the church. It cannot change the heart. And it does not save. It is crucial, therefore, that our evangelical schools, camps, conferences, publishing houses, and churches can discern the new gospel from the old.


Original Article

The Way is Narrow...SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Friday, November 20, 2009

Kids of Courage...From Voice of the Martyers

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One day, Pastor K’Be’s children were watching TV in Vietnam
where they lived. Their father’s picture appeared on the screen!
They were excited!The TV announcer said their father was a
“criminal.” The report said he was guilty of “crimes” against
the government of Vietnam. Their excitement disappeared.

The government wants to control Christian activity. They do
not want Christians to have activities outside of churches that
are registered with the government. Pastor K’Be preached at
church meetings that took place in people’s homes.

Not Ashamed
The government put his picture on TV to shame him. The Bible
tells us that the apostle Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the
gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of
everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16, NIV)
. Pastor K’Be
wasn’t ashamed either. The government also wanted to warn
people who saw the TV report to stay away from Pastor K’Be.
But it only made people more curious. They looked for answers
about what Pastor K’Be believed, and they found out about Jesus.
“The government is helping to spread the gospel,” said Pastor
K’Be.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails,” (Proverbs 19:21, NIV).

Encourage your children to pray for the persecuted Church...
Kids of Courage...From Voice of the MartyersSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Be Careful How You Pray

Have you ever had a friend or child or spouse who wanted something so bad they were positively miserable without it? Maybe your husband is unhappy with his job and can only think of landing something else. Or maybe you have a friend who simply has to be married. Or maybe your child is despondent because he didn’t make the basketball team and probably never will.

How should we pray in these situations? Would you ask God to provide a new job? Would you petition him for a spouse? Would you quietly ask for six more inches for your son? How would you pray?

Here’s Jeremiah Burroughs’ (1599-1646) answer:

Therefore for my part, if I should have a friend or brother or one who was as dear to me as my own soul, whom I saw discontented for the want of such a comfort, I would rather pray, “Lord, keep this thing from them, till you shall be pleased to humble their hearts for their discontent; let not them have the mercy till they come to be humbled for their discontent over the want of it, for if they have it before that time they will have it without any blessing” (The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, 159).

In other words, if people think they can’t live without some thing, they’ll still be miserable even when they get the thing they wanted so badly. Burroughs goes on to suggest:

There are many things which you desire as your lives, and think that you would be happy if you had them, yet when they come you do not find such happiness in then, but they prove to be the greatest crosses and afflictions that you ever had, and on this ground, because your hearts were immoderately set upon them before you had them.

So be careful how you pray. As Tim Keller (or was it that spirit of Jeremiah Burroughs?) has written, “We never imagine that getting our heart’s deepest desires might be the worst thin that can ever happen to us” (Counterfeit Gods, 1).


From: DeYoung, Restless, & Reformed Blog


Book Recomendation: If you ever find The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment get it! It is a wonderful book and should be read and in every Christians library.

Be Careful How You PraySocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Saying Good Bye to the Otis Family


Pastor John Otis, and his family, were recently called to a new Church in Burlington, North Carolina. John Otis had been the Evangelist to Corpus Christi for over 15 years nearly 5 of which were spent living in Texas. His ministry was a blessing to this Church and we wish him the fullness of God's grace as he begins his work in Burlington.


From Left to Right
Derrick, Jason, Christine, Pastor John Otis, & Brian
This picture was taken at Christopher & Jennifer Marks' wedding

Since the Otis relocated the 1st of September we threw a going away party, TEXAS style, for them the end of August. Here are some of the pictures from the event.

Texas size cakes along with a plaque of recognition

A Texas Bar-B-Que was hosted at the M's house


It was a huge spread and we were blessed to have several friends, whom the Otis' had met over the years, who came to share in the farewell.

A.J. Loving her BBQ

What a blessing it was to have so many little boys around! What cuties!



Feasting

Maverick was the only one who was not enjoying BBQ that night...but he got let overs later on

Jennifer and Cromwell M.
Cromwell is showing off his boots

A favorite past time...Volley Ball



Pastor Otis...we miss you!

Kiddos being creative




The Lone Star ~Cake

Ya'll Come Back Now Y'a Hear!!!
The State of Texas~Cake

This certificate granting the rights to become an Honorary Citizen of the Great Empire of Texas was awarded to Pastor John Otis

Cookies Texas Style

David M.
Original founding member of Westminster along with his family


Christine Otis doing the honors

Yummmmm...



Phoebe R.

Connie M. and our cute Phoebe



Johanna M. with Miss R.

So, no matter where you go, no matter what God calls you to do, remember to keep a bit of TEXAS deep down in your heart!!!


We appreciate your years of service.
Blessings,
Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church ~Corpus Christi, TEXAS
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